Nicki Minaj Sues Blogger For Calling Her a ‘Cokehead’
Nicki Minaj wasted no time filing a $75,000 defamation lawsuit against a blogger who called her a “cokehead” and said the rapper was known for “shoving” cocaine up her nose.
In the new complaint obtained by IndieLand, Minaj says Marley Green, a gossip blogger who goes by the name Nosey Heaux, “falsely and maliciously” called her a drug addict in a Twitter video posted Monday that “outrageously defamed” her and sparked a “firestorm of social media attention.”
“[Minaj is] shoving all this cocaine, shoving in all this cocaine up her nose. Allegedly. Thank you. Allegedly. But we all know it’s true. Fuck – listen, I can’t even say allegedly with that ‘cause I – we know it’s true. I’m not saying allegedly on that. Nicki Minaj is a cokehead,” Green says in an excerpt of the video quoted in the lawsuit.
The complaint, filed Wednesday in federal court in New York, says Green also posted “vile comments” about Minaj’s 1-year-old son. Those statements weren’t actionable, but Minaj says they show Green’s “fundamental lack of decency” and should be considered as the rapper seeks punitive damages.
“Green’s video statement was false because plaintiff has never used cocaine,” Minaj’s lawsuit says.
“In a different age, Green’s lie would have been meaningless because she is the ultimate ‘nobody’…a person whose main accomplishments in life have been a string of criminal charges, bail jumping, and bad debts. But this is the age of social media, one in which a ‘nobody’ can find an undeserved following through relentless self-promotion,” the paperwork alleges.
Green responded to the legal action in a series of social media posts. In one post shared on Wednesday, she vowed to counter-sue.
“Nicki Minaj has been in a rage for several days now. She threatened me, sent her barbz to harass and threaten to kill me, now doxxing me. She has gone way too far and I’m definitely suing her. #Survivingthepettys,” Green tweeted overnight.
Her lawyer, Bob Samini, also sent a comment to IndieLand, saying his client was “targeted” by Minaj because she interviewed Jennifer Hough, the woman who says Minaj’s husband Kenneth Petty raped her at knifepoint in 1994 after accosting her a bus stop in New York. Petty was ultimately convicted of first-degree attempted rape in April 1995 and sentenced to 18 to 54 months in prison.
“The lawsuit filed by Nicki Minaj against Marley Green is an act of retaliation. Marley is a Black woman, a lesbian, a rape survivor, and an outspoken activist for other rape survivors. Marley was targeted after Jennifer Hough appeared on Marley’s YouTube channel alleging that she was raped by Ms. Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty. Mr. Petty is a registered sex offender who was convicted of first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old child,” Samini said in his statement.
“Curiously, Ms. Minaj’s lawsuit was filed shortly after Ms. Hough’s interview with Marley. Since the interview, Marley has received threats of physical violence and constant harassment. There is no doubt that this will backfire for Ms. Minaj once the public learns about the intimidation and harassment that Marley has suffered, all as a direct result of her mission to give other sexual assault survivors a voice,” Samini said.
“Marley Green is a disgrace – someone so lacking in fundamental decency that she has posted vile comments about Nicki’s one-year-old son,” Minaj’s lawyer Judd Burstein said in a dueling statement sent to IndieLand.
“When this case is over, she will no longer be permitted to use the name ‘Nosey Heaux’ because we will take her trademark from her when she does not have enough money to pay the judgment. Anyone else who spreads lies about Nicki will suffer a similar fate. My marching orders are to aggressively sue anyone with a media or social media following who damages her with intentional lies. Eventually, the lesson will be learned,” Burstein said.
Minaj’s lawsuit comes after fellow rapper Cardi B successfully sued gossip blogger Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, over defamatory claims that Cardi had herpes, used cocaine, and worked as a prostitute.
In that case, a federal court jury in Georgia awarded Cardi more than $4 million in damages. Kebe is appealing the verdict.
